VENTANA WILDERNESS ALLIANCE
On-Line Trail Conditions Report

RODEO FLATS TRAIL

• USFS Trail # 4E26
• Parking: Memorial Park
• Watershed: Arroyo Seco River
• Junctions: Arroyo Seco Trail, Coast Ridge Trail
• Connects: Arroyo Seco Trail with Coast Ridge Trail at Rodeo Flats
• Camps: Forks Camp at bottom

Conditions reported by: Andrew Staley
Survey date: 2-APRIL-2007
General: IMPASSABLE
Specific:

Trail is almost completely hidden due to very thick chaparral covering the road bed. The first mile or so is fairly passable (although very steep) but soon was up to my shoulders in brush . Was able to reach reach the Coast Ridge Trail although it took over two hours to cover the 3 miles from Forks Camp. Would not recommend this trail be used any longer by anyone other than a highly motivated trail crew. Conditions reported by: Rob Yang
Survey date: 10-APRIL-2005
General: PASSABLE
Specific:

Not much to add to the previous descriptions, except that the brush seemed thicker at the higher elevations. Steep and loose footbed on the descent, but some great sandstone formations to look at, and to boulder if one so desired. A few small rivulets flowed here and there (it had been raining only a couple of days before). Conditions reported by: Lindsay Jeffers - Stevenson Wilderness Program
Survey date: 10-MARCH-2005
General: CLEAR
Specific:

Section: Indians Memorial Campground to Forks Camp (Wilderness Highway)

From Indians Memorial Campground [Ed: Arroyo Seco Trail to the junction before Forks Camp] to Forks Camp, the trail is a wilderness highway with the exception of one large fallen tree before the crossing of the Arroyo Seco River. This requires a creeping-under move. Section: Forks Camp to Coast Ridge Trail (Clear)

From Forks Camp to the Coast Ridge Trail, the way is steep but clear. For hikers coming down, the plants and young trees growing in the jeep trail that is the footbed can sometimes obscure the way. Zigging and zagging around them is not a big problem, but keep an eye open for false trails off the sandstone ridge. Conditions reported by: Lindsay Jeffers - Stevenson Wilderness Expedition
Survey date: 04-MAR-2004
General: CLEAR BUT TRICKY
Specific:

Section: Arroyo Seco Trail jct. to Coast Ridge Trail

The trail was in good shape with the tricky section in the middle as usual where the proper trail becomes hard to follow. Coming down can be quite tricky here, although staying on the trail is not so hard when going up. Conditions reported by: Alex
Survey date: 16-FEB-2004
General: PASSABLE
Specific:

Section: Coast Ridge Trail to Arroyo Seco Trail jct.

Follows an old, steep jeep road/fire break most of the way, but is significantly overgrown. There are a few somewhat confusing areas. As mentioned below, there are two intersections with the Coast Ridge Trail, one just before a seasonal stream as you head south, and the other 1/3 mile or so after that. The latter is marked with a sign for Forks Campground.

(ED. NOTE: The "trail" noted above, just north of a seasonal stream is an extremely steep FIRE BREAK, NOT A TRAIL. Flat area at seasonal stream crossing is Rodeo Flats. See Monterey Co. Placenames.) Conditions reported by: Stevenson School Wilderness Expedition
Survey date: FEB-2002
General: PASSABLE
Specific:

Forks Camp junction to Coast Ridge Road: This route is open and easy to follow. There are some sections near the top of the ridge where brush on the trail makes it a little hard to keep to the trail for those coming STEEPLY down hill. Conditions reported by: Steve Wilson
Survey date: 14-APRIL-01
General: PASSABLE
Specific: Firebreak with roadbed sections.

"Since this firebreak route is essentially shadeless, definitely waterless, and perspiringly steep, no one would want to ascend it, and I'm not too sure anyone would want to slip-slide down it either." - Jeffrey P. Schaffer

Unless you are accustomed to hiking in Ventana and are looking for a moderately strenuous day hike loop that is. On the somewhat cool, but sunny day in mid-April that I hiked UP this trail, the Rodeo Flat Trail provided an easily followed use path, an ambitious but not foolhardy grade, and far flung views of Pinkolom, the Rocks, Arroyo Seco Headwaters, the Coast Ridge, and even Cone Peak and the Ventana Peaks Ridge at one point. Combined with the Arroyo Seco and Coast Ridge Trail, this trail makes a great full day semiloop in cooler weather. Don't be scared off by USFS propaganda touting how many acres were "destroyed" by the fire. In this part of Ventana, the fire has opened things up, and most everything is springing back to life.. The only real obstacles are the elevation gain, round rocks under foot from the conglomerate bedrock, lack of shade, and slaloming through the knee high Yerba Santa forest proliferating on the previously mentioned bypass of the peak near the top. I guess I wouldn't want to do it on a hot day, but it was just fine on a cool, clear one! Conditions reported by: Stevenson School Wilderness Expedition 2000
Survey date: APRIL-2000
General: PASSABLE to DIFFICULT
Specific:

The Coast Ridge Road junction is clear. The trail leading around the peak and avoiding the firebreak to the top is now obvious. Although it is rocky, it is the preferable route because it avoids an extra climb and a very steep descent on the eastern side of that peak. Of course, it also avoids the splendid view from the top.

The trail has been partially reworked as firebreak, but it does not suffer from the downed manzanita and ceanothus stems that many of the other firebreaks do. In fact, most of the way is cleaner than it usually is. One must exercise considerable care, though, half way down where the trail runs along a ridge top that is sprouting new pines and other growth. Stay to the southern ridge rather than going north towards the interesting rock formations; keep a sharp lookout for footprints and pay close attention to the landscape. This section of trail could use some flags or a sequence of clipping and cutting to make the real path stand out from all the potential false routes. I am sure it is much easier to stay on the trail up this section than it is to come down, but both directions could use some route help. The junction to the Arroyo Seco Trail is marked clearly with a sign. Conditions reported by: Steve Chambers
Survey date: 22-MARCH-00
General: PASSABLE
Specific:

The west side of this trail was used as a burn-out line on the Kirk Fire. The burnout did not have much effect on the condition of the trail. It is still VERY STEEP AND ROCKY. Follow the "jeep road"/trail, taking the left fork (traveling up) near the top to avoid more steep climbing to a peak. Conditions reported by: Steve Chambers
Survey date: May, 1998
General: CLEAR BUT STEEP
Specific:

The Rodeo Flats Trail has always been a fire/jeep road, and as such is very steep and usually easy to follow. Starting at the bottom, crossing Leopard Lily Creek, its a wide road steeply up to a spur ridge. The road-trail follows the ridge through a mass of young pines (stay on the top of the ridge). Further on, the road-trail traverses steeply along a south facing slope and comes to a FORK, in sight of the main Coast Ridge to the west. If you follow the right fork, it climbs very steeply to the summit of the peak above (great views). The obscure LEFT fork much more easily connects with the nearby Coast Ridge. This road-trail can cut 3 miles off a trip between the Arroyo Seco Trail and points north. Rodeo Flats is the hollow 1/4 mile north of the intersection with the Coast Ridge where early homesteaders broke horses, as its a natural corral, or was before the bulldozed firebreak.